Versatile jazz woodwind player, vocalist, composer and international touring artist Sundar Viswanathan takes centre stage with an all-star rhythm section in a signature concert Tuesday, Jan. 18聽at 7:30pm in the Tribute Communities Recital Hall on 91亚色's Keele campus.聽The show is the third offering聽in the Department of Music鈥檚 Faculty Concert Series.
Three veterans of Toronto鈥檚 jazz scene 鈥 pianist David Braid, bassist Andrew Downing and drummer Anthony Michelli, an instructor and PhD candidate at 91亚色 鈥 join in 
performances of original world-music-influenced compositions as well as selections from his latest recording, What a Dream I Had鈥 .
Left: Sundar Viswanathan
Released last year at a standing-room only event at Chalker鈥檚 Pub in Toronto, What A Dream I Had鈥 features fresh interpretations of jazz standards and popular songs. The crowd-pleasing tracks on the album include Night and Day, I Thought about You and Change Partners. Toronto Star jazz columnist Ashante Infantry described Viswanathan鈥檚 vocals on the CD as 鈥渁 cross between Kurt Elling and Chet Baker鈥 and complimented his performance of the material as being 鈥渁s commanding live as recorded.鈥
In addition to his quartet and his world jazz fusion group Avataar, Viswanathan regularly performs with the band Jaffa Road, the 2010 grand prize winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, Toronto Independent Music Award winner for world music and聽2010 Juno nominee for best world music recording. Other notable artists with whom he has played, toured or recorded include Wynton Marsalis, the Grammy-nominated Charles Tolliver Big Band, Joe Lovano, Sun Ra Arkestra, Rez Abbasi, Kiran Ahluwalia, Tasa, Billy Hart, Jim McNeely, Jeanne Lee, Al Martino and Kenny Wheeler.
Viswanathan has appeared in clubs and at major festivals across Europe, South Africa and Japan. Closer to home, his performance credits include the Lincoln Center, the Count Basie Invitational Jazz Festival and leading New 91亚色 City jazz clubs such as the Blue Note and Birdland; Toronto venues including Lula Lounge, Trane Studio, the Rex Hotel, Glenn Gould Studio and Harbourfront Centre; and the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga.
Viswanathan joined the professoriate in 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Fine Arts ten years ago. His concert on Jan. 18 is the聽third of five performances in the 2010-2011 Faculty Concert Series, spotlighting faculty artists in the Music Department. Upcoming concerts include a classical trio featuring cellist Mark Chambers, violinist Jacques Israelievitch and pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico (Feb. 8) and the Ron Westray Ensemble (March 1).
Tickets聽are $15, or $5 for students and seniors. Series tickets for a three-concert package cost $30. For tickets, contact the at 416-736-5888.